Air pump



June24, 1930. w'oob 1,768,279

AIR PUMP Filed Sept. 26, 1927 INVENTOR.

Clare/ice G. 3 7

BY a? mo g gi Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE G. WOOD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTO PRIME PUMP COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO AIR- PUMP Application filed September 26, 1927. Serial No. 222,015.

The present invention, relating as' indicated to pumps, is particularly directed to an improved rotary air pump in which air is compressed by the action of the rotor, which 5 pumps both air and water, the air being compressed by the momentum given to the water as it is passed through the rotor element of the pumping mechanism. The principal object of the invention is the provision of a 10 simple and effective liquid operating air pump, together with means for effectively separating the air and liquid after the compression of the former by the action of the water.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description settin forth in detail certain mechanism embo ying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through my improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the periphery of the rotor within the pump casing; and Fig. 3 is a 30 view in perspective of the ring for the pump.

, element in which are formed the fluid and liquid passages for admitting and discharging liquidand air from the pump chamber proper.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there isshown a casing 1 having a cylindrical portion 2 in which are mounted two mating pump rings 1' enclosing a rotor 3 provided with curved slots 4 constituting umping buckets, which move within a suitable channel having very slight clearance with respect to the size of the rim in which the buckets 4 are included. Within said rings is formed a passage 5 for the movement of the rim of the rotor, this 45 passage 5 bein provided with an inlet "passage 6 for the liquid and air and with an outlet passage 7 for the discharge of air and return of liquid. Mounted on top of the easing 1 is a second casing 10 provided with chambers 11 and 12 and with passages 13 and 14, these passages registering respectively with the passages 6 and 7 in the lower casing 1. A port 15, in an intermediate partition wall 16 between the two chambers 11 and 12, provides communication between these chambers in the outer casing, while an exteriorly adjustable valve 18 is provided for controlling the effective opening of the port and the flow between these two chambers. The chamber 11 is provided with an air inlet port 20 and the chamber 12 with an air outlet port 21, the latter chamber also having a series of staggered baffles 22, 23, '24 and interposed between the air outlet 21 and the passage 7 leading from the pump casing.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown one of the rings 1 which are set into the air pump chamber each of said rings being provided at one end with an air inlet opening 6 in registration with the passage leading from the chamber 11. This passage opens into the pump channel 5 extending around the periphery of the rotor'or impeller 3 and an outer concentrically disposed bypass channel 31. At its other end the pump channel 5 is in communication with the outer channel 31 and the baflie 32 is interposed to direct the flow of sealing fluid into the channel 31 in a direction reverse to that in which the fluid moves through the pump channel 5. It is to be understood that said two ringsl are substantially identically formed.

The impeller consists of a suitable disk or wheel rotatably mounted within the easing 1 and is provided with a series of impeller blades 4 alternately cut away to provide curved slots 36, the walls of which form the operating blades or vanes of the pump. The pump channel 5 is provided with slight clearance on the sides and top of the impeller, the clearance being such that the liquid carried through the pump channel by the vanes will seal this channel and will thus act, as will be presently described, to also carry through the pump channel air, which is introduced into the apparatus as will now be described. J

In operation the impeller is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. Liquid is first introduced into the casing in 31 around the outside .of the pump casing and back to the'point where the air is admitted to the pump channel through the passage 6, thus providing a liquid seal for the vanes of the pump and drawing in both liquid and air at the entrance channel of the ump. The air is compressed as it is drawn into the pum channel by the momentum of the liquid, w ich is also carried in, and is there confined until discharged into the bypass channel 31 where the liquid and air are separated, the liquid continuing around in this channel, and the air, together with some liquid passing up through the discharge channel 7 past the baffles 38 interposed in this channel and into the chamber 12. The baflies 38 in the channel 7 and the baflles 22, 23, 24 and 25 in the chamber 12 act to effectively prevent the escape of any liquid through the air outlet 21, while permitting the free escape of the compressed air.

In operation the bypass valve 18 closes the communicating port 15 between the chambers 11 and 1-2, but may be opened When required to pass sealing fluid which may have been driven up into the chamber 12 back into the chamber 11 and through the port 6 into the pump chamber. As but very little liquid is removed from the apparatus it is not necessary to replenish this liquid during ordinary operation and a single charge of liquid'will allowthe pump to operate to continuously compress Whatever vapor is drawn into the apparatus, such for example as air.

The present apparatus is extremely simple in its construction and has been found very effective in the compression of air and is unusually'quiet in operation. It will be understood that either air may be pumped and compressed with the present apparatus or a mixture of air and water, and the terms air and water are employed to indicate respectively. any vapors or liquids which it may be desired to use in the apparatus.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing and having an aperture adapted to register with said inlet, an air inlet port in said reservoir, and means in said outlet for separating air and liquid.

2. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing and comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and means between said pump member and said outlet port for separating air and liquid.

3. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing and comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to re ister with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and means in said casing outlet for separating air and liquid.

4. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing and comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet,

an air .inlet port insaid inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said. casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and means in said outlet chamber for separating air and liquid. I I

5. A liquidsealed air pumpcomprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an .outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing and comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamher, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and means in said casing outlet and in said outlet chamber for separating air and liquid.

6. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member 1n said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing,

a reservoir mounted on said casing, a partition in said reservoir dividing the same into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a valve-controlled port in said partition, said outlet chamber being formed with a bottom wall sloping toward said port, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet ort in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and means between said pump member and said air outlet for separating air and liquid.

7 A liquid sealed'air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing, a partition in said reservoir dividing the same into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a valve-controlled port in said partition, said outlet chamber being formed with a bottom wall sloping toward said port, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and bafiles between said pump member and said air outlet for separating air and liquid.

8. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing, a partition in said reservoir dividing the same into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a valve-controlled port in said partition, said outlet chamber bein formed with a bottom wall sloping towar said port, an aperture in sai inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to reglster with said casing outlet, an air outlet ort in said outlet chamber, and bafiies in said casing outlet adapted to deter passage of liquid while permitting "passage ofair.

9. A liquid sealed air pump comprising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing, a part1- tion in said reservoir dividing the same into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a valve-controlled port in said partition, said wall slopingtowar in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber, and baflies in said outlet chamber adapted to deter passage of liquid while permitting passage of air.

tween said pump channel 10. A liquid sealed air pump comp-rising a casing, a centrifugal pump member in said casing, an inlet and an outlet for said casing, a reservoir mounted on said casing, a partition in said reservoir dividing the same into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a valve-controlled port in said partition, said outlet chamber being formed with a bottom wall sloping toward said port, an aperture in said inlet chamber adapted to register with said casing inlet, an air inlet port in said inlet chamber, an aperture in said outlet chamber adapted to register with said casing outlet, an air outlet port in said outlet chamber and bafiies in said casing outlet to hinder passage of liquid to said outlet chamber while permitting passage of air thereto, and baflles in said outlet chamber to cause liquid entrained in theair passing thereto to fall to said inclined bottom wall.

11. A pump casing comprising a pair of mating cylindrical members each including an inlet, an outlet, an annular pump channel, and an annular by-pass channel.

12. A pump casing comprising a pair of mating cylindrical members each including a bearing for a centrifugal pump member,

bearing for a centrifugal pump outlet port having direct communication with said by-pass channel only.

14. A pum casing comprising a pair of mating cylin rical members each including a cylindrical bearing for a centrifugal pump member, an annular pump channe adapted to receive the blades of a pump member, an

/ annular by-pass channel concentric with said pump channel, an inlet port opening through the periphery of said casing directly into both of said channels, an outlet port in the periphery of said casing and spaced from said inlet port by a block which breaks the continuity of said pump channel and said by-pass channel, and a baflie preventing direct communication beand said outlet port.

Signed-by me this 20th day of Septem- 

